This invention relates to toy apparatus and a method of use thereof.
It is known to provide toy apparatus including a playbase with a toy member movable across the playbase using a control mechanism. An example of such toy apparatus is disclosed in GB2315423. The toy apparatus includes a playbase with control means provided under the playbase surface. The control means includes a magnet which is movable relative to the underside surface of the playbase and this magnet is attracted to a magnet provided in a toy character located on the upper surface of the playbase. Thus, movement of the control means under the playbase causes corresponding movement of the toy character on the upper surface of the playbase due to magnetic attraction, thereby providing the appearance that the toy character is moving on its own. This increases the realism of the toy a user, such as a child.
A problem with the abovementioned toy apparatus is that movement of the toy character is limited to sliding movement across the playbase surface, thereby limiting the range of movement and thus the application of the toy character with respect to the playbase. GB2328623 discloses toy apparatus including articulated control means which allows a toy character to be slid between different heights of a playbase but once again movement of the toy character is limited by the requirement for the toy character to be in contact with the surface of the playbase at all times.